Confused

There are still seven days left for the wedding, just seven days. What am I going to do? Nina thought while she's walking to choose her wedding dress. She now sees the painting that's covering the ceiling and she carefully steps on the marbles while counting the white marbles that were arranged in zigzag.

"Is it true that his majesty liked you instantly, Nina?" Jian asks.

Nina asked her to call her by her name as she didn't like anyone to address her royally. Jian agreed to call her name only when they were alone but in front of others, she can't do it. Either she would be punished or thrown out of the palace.

Though at first, Nina thought she's weird but after talking to Jian, she understood that she's innocent and scared of Theodore. Whoever she met in the palace weren't seemed to be close with Theodore. She pondered what he has done?

"Yes, that's what happened," Nina nods. Jian observed her a moment and continued walking.

"You are beautiful, surely the prince must have fallen for your smile,"

"Maybe," Nina shrugs.

"You know, I always wondered who he is going to marry but you came as a surprise. Not only for me but all the people who knew about the crown prince," Jian said.

"Really, why are you so surprised?"

"I shouldn't tell you that," Jian giggled.

"Jian, you should tell me," Nina frowned.

"Don't you know him at all?"

"I don't even know that he's the crown prince when I met him and I live nowhere in the Kingdom where people care less about King and his family," Nina reasoned.

"I can understand," Jian accepted it. "You should promise me that what I am going to say about the prince remain a secret between us," Jian asks.

"Certainly," Nina nods, curiously. She's so confused why Theodore; the knight of the east was such an enigma and infamous? He's a little bit odd but why everyone raises an eyebrow when they hear Theodore's name. Since she's going to marry him, she's concerned about it.

"We can talk this privately after you select your dress,"

"Come on, I want to hear it now," Nina pouted.

"Fine, let's go somewhere else," Jian guided Nina to a secluded place. Nina is so anxious; she knew what she's going to hear might ruin her already spoiled opinion about him. But she doesn't care, she wanted to know what kind of person he is which he will never show to her.

"You know what everyone was talking about? They say you are so unlucky,"

"Why?" Nina's eyes widened.

"He's so arrogant, heartless, and a… womanizer,"

"Womanizer?" Nina exclaimed.

"Yes. I am sorry to say this but he already has a child with his previous lover. The King has banished her from the Kingdom because she gave birth to a daughter, so you don't have to worry about it,"

"What are you saying?" Nina is stung by the shock. She didn't expect this at all. King Solomon isn't that kind of person, he has even accepted a commoner as his daughter-in-law and he would have never disowned his granddaughter.

But yet, Theodore is capable of such a thing.

"Why? When did this all happen?"

"It happened when the queen was on the deathbed. It strained the family more than anyone anticipated. The king and the prince always argued over it," Jian exaggerated.

"Who is that woman? Have you met her?" Nina questions.

"Yes, she's such a beautiful woman I have ever seen,"

"Oh," Nina sulked; she doesn't want to hear anything anymore. It hurts her to know that she's going to marry the utterly wrong person.

Nina is so confused to believe it or not; she earnestly wanted all this to be just a baseless rumor.

"I even heard them argue once,"

"What was that about?"

"About their daughter. He refused to accept that child was his and she's so sure,"

"How long you have been working here?"

Nina's irrelevant question got Jian off-guard. "Uh… two years,"

"But I heard that his mother died three years back," Nina narrowed her eyes.

"Then, I must have mistaken. I have poor memory," Jian stuttered.

Nina understood there's something wrong with this girl. The moment they met until now, she's trying all her ways to tell Nina that Theodore is the wrong person.

"Then what else you know about him?" Nina asks.

"There are a lot of things, I don't want to scare you,"

How sweet of you, Nina gritted.

"Don't get me wrong for saying this, you should reconsider your decision to marry him. If you want I can help you escape,"

The worst idea ever, Nina thought.

"Thanks for your concern, Jian. I am sorry, I can't walk out of this. I promised him that I'll marry him and I can't break it now," Nina replied.

"It's all happened in the past. I don't want his past; I am going to marry his future. Even if he has a child, I am glad about it,"

"Aren't you scared?"

"I should be concerned when this happens after marriage. I hope he will be faithful to me," Nina smiles.

Jian was taken aback by her reply.

"Fine, it's your choice," Jian walked and Nina followed her to the trader who has brought three finely made wedding gowns. Nina picked the simplest one and gave her measurements.

Jian wasn't there to take her back to Theodore's place. Nina didn't wait for her and walked alone taking a different route.

She wants to get to know this place since the King has given her permission to walk here freely.

While crossing one of the chambers which looked beautiful from outside, Nina was stopped hearing, "So you are the girl?"

Nina turned to see a good-looking man, who must be the same age as Theodore, standing near the fountain.

"Huh?" Nina couldn't guess who he is.

"I am Maximus, Theodore's cousin and I guess you are the one he's going to marry," he asks.

Nina nods with a smile. "Nice to meet you,"

Maximus nods without a smile, "Rumors are true, you are pretty," he muttered.

Nina frowned as she barely heard it. She didn't meet all the family members yet as they were all busy in this wartime. She only met the King's brother Oliver. Theodore said all his cousins were eagerly waiting for his marriage to meet up.

But even though he is here, why Theodore didn't introduce Maximus.

"You are from the west?"

"Yes," she nods.

"You should give me respect because you didn't marry Theo yet," he pointed. Nina understood that he's worse than Theodore.

"How did you meet him?"

"He came to hunting and my father's farm is just near the forest. That's how we met, sir," Nina answered with a scowl. She didn't like to answer at all.

"That's all?"

"Yes,"

"But he won't go to hunting on rainy days? I heard there was a storm in the west when the day you met him,"

Nina smiles, "You should ask your brother that question," Nina retorted.

Maximus stared at her for a moment and she hates this guy with all her heart. This is what she's afraid to face, a girl like will always be scrutinized by the people like him. It invades her self-respect.

"I have to go, sir," Nina walked.

"I pity you; you don't know anything about him," Theodore said.

Nina turned; her bold inner self gave him a reply, "That's none of your concern, sir,"